faith even in the silence

Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Matthew 15:28

The story of this unnamed Canaanite woman intrigues us. Jesus made a quiet withdrawal to a more gentile inhabited region north of the Sea of Galilee. It appears to have had the purpose of being a strategic retreat... a break from the constant ministry drain. The demand had grown. Because the Jewish leaders were becoming more belligerent. And large crowds of people were thronging Jesus everywhere he went throughout Israel. It was getting so constant that Jesus could not even get proper time or space to grieve the murder of John the Baptist in solitude (Matthew 14:13).

So in the regions of Tyre and Sidon Jesus and His disciples got a small break. Yet even there this Canaanite woman recognizes Jesus, calls upon Him as Lord and Messiah in a very Jewish way, and begs Him to cast out a demon from her daughter. Jesus uses the opportunity to show His mission. He at first seems to ignore her, not answering her cries. Only when the disciples basically ask Him to maker her shut up (Matthew 15:23) does Jesus even acknowledge what is going on. Jesus first confirms His primary mission to bring repentance to Israel. It seems He may not even want to engage with her.

This just brings out even more faith in the desperate gentile woman. She kneels before Jesus begging for His help. She humbles herself admitting she is not worthy of His first attention, but asking for grace anyway (Matthew 15:25-27). And her faith is heard and rewarded. Jesus both confirms His mission and extends it, showing that God rewards the faith of all those who will desperately seek Him.

There are times when we may feel like this Canaanite woman... running after God, begging for His notice in prayers, and perhaps feeling silence from Him. But faith presses on despite what we feel. We believe Jesus to be all that we need. We will not let go despite the silence. And God will notice such faith. He will hear our pleas. He will make His power known. He rewards those who seek Him.